Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/431,689 and 11/557,993 that issued as U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,712,466 and 7,726,306, the disclosures which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, disclose intra-oral nebulizers where a venturi is in close proximity to or inside a patient's oral cavity. One or more medicine feed lines feed the medicine to a location proximate to the venturi. Medicines can be administered simultaneously or singularly to a patient. Air pressure is applied to the venturi to aid in nebulization through an air line or separate canister carried by the body of the nebulizer. High lung-deposition deficiency is improved because the venturi is located near or preferably inside the oral cavity. The nebulizer may be simple to use because it carries and uses a portable pressurized gas container. This nebulizer may have multiple dose capabilities depending on the size of the medicine reservoir.
Commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/724,685, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,109,266, the disclosure which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses the nebulizer as described in the incorporated by reference '466 and '306 patents having an incorporated flow meter function. The air flow may be measured by the patient's one of at least inhaling and exhaling air through the nebulizer. This air flow may be processed over time to determine a respiratory function of the patient. For example, a processor may be configured to process the measured air flow over time to determine a neurological deficiency based on air flow measurements derived from an involuntary reflex cough event.
Other improvements to the intra-oral nebulizer as described in the incorporated by reference patents is desirable.